


True Lies and False Realities

by bibliophileemily



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fake Marriage, Living Together, Murder Mystery, NejiHina Week 2016, NejiHina Week 2017, On the Run, Secrets, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Undercover as Married
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28020474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliophileemily/pseuds/bibliophileemily
Summary: When Hinata is accused of murder, the only way Neji can save her is to flee the village and pretend they are married... wait, what? Can the two figure out civilian life while avoiding capture? Will their false marriage develop into true feelings? Is Hinata innocent or not? Read this genre-defying twist on a classic fake marriage story to find out! Rating may go up.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Hyuuga Neji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

Hinata stared into space, the same words echoing again and again in her mind.

_Because… I love you, Naruto-kun… Naruto-kun… Naruto._

"More _naruto_?"

"What?" Hinata glanced up to see the ramen shop owner Teuchi holding out more of the spiral-decorated fishcakes and realized she'd spoken aloud. "N-no, thank you," she mumbled, ducking her head to hide her embarrassment.

It had been three weeks since Pain's attack on Konoha.

Three weeks since Hinata threw herself between Pain and Naruto. Three weeks since she'd confessed her love to him. Three weeks since she'd unexpectedly survived the blow she thought would kill her.

At first, she'd been too weak to do much, still recovering from her wounds. As she healed, she spent her time observing Naruto. He was busy, always helping with the building projects and chatting to villagers and fellow ninja, and she never managed to get close enough to speak to him.

Hinata desperately wanted to speak to him. Through the gift of Byakugan, she'd seen Naruto's reaction to her confession--he'd been shocked, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, but she had no chance to find out how he felt now that the surprise had worn off. Did he have an answer to her feelings?

The entire village had been destroyed, and rebuilding projects were slow, but familiar places like the Ichiraku Ramen stand were reappearing daily. So the moment she heard Ichiraku had reopened, she came in for a bowl of ramen and waited for him to appear.

Naruto arrived precisely eight minutes past noon.

"Hey, old man!" he called. "Miso pork ramen with double noodles please!"

"Coming right up," Teuchi called back.

Hinata straightened her back, set down her chopsticks, and was about to turn around when Sakura called her name.

"Hinata? Good to see you!" she said, taking the seat beside her. "How are you feeling?"

Hinata's heart sank. She wanted to speak to Naruto alone, but instead she resigned herself to politeness.

"Much better, thanks to you," she replied. "H-hello, Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked at her as if she'd materialized out of nowhere. "Uh… hey, Hinata." He sat next to Sakura and took his time selecting a pair of chopsticks.

Sakura didn't seem to notice the awkwardness. "It's really good that you're getting around so well; you suffered some serious injuries."

"Right…" Hinata caught herself twisting her fingers and forced herself to stop. _Why won't he look at me?_

The arrival of Naruto and Sakura's ramen halted the conversation. Hinata purposely ate slowly, trying to match her pace with Naruto's so that they could leave at the same time.

"Delicious!" Sakura set down her bowl. "Thanks for the meal. See you later, Hinata. You too, Naruto."

Naruto hastily slurped up a mouthful of noodles and wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. "Where are you going?"

"To the hospital. I have work."

"I'll walk you there." Naruto was already digging in his pocket for his wallet even though his bowl wasn't empty. "Just let me pay and--"

"I don't need you to walk me." Sakura gently pushed him back down on his seat. "Finish your lunch, OK?" She gave Hinata a wink as she walked out.

"Damn it…" Naruto muttered as he fumbled with the coins. "Sakura-chan, wait!"

"Um, Naruto-kun?"

Hinata watched Naruto freeze and stiffly turn towards her. Now that she had his attention, she was almost afraid to speak.

"Hey, Hinata." Naruto sounded almost as nervous as she was. "It was nice seeing you, but--"

"Um!" Hinata spoke louder than she intended. "About what happened…"

"Yeah, I don't… really want to talk about that right now."

"It's been three weeks. I just… I don't even know if you heard me or if you remember…" She stopped, gathered her courage. _Just say it._ "M-my confession."

There was a long pause while Naruto fidgeted with the zipper of his jacket.

"I remember," he mumbled.

"Th-then…" Hinata swallowed; her throat had gone dry. "Do you have an answer?"

Naruto let go of his zipper. "Hinata, I…" He crossed his arms then shook his head and stretched his arms behind him. 'Look, you're really nice, and... we're friends, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"And I want to stay friends with you. But… see, I like someone else, and…"

Hinata heard buzzing in her ears. Naruto's mouth was still moving, but she couldn't hear him. Not that it mattered what he said--he was rejecting her.

What had she expected? That Naruto would be so impressed by her confession and rescue attempt that he would suddenly fall in love with her? That he'd realize Hinata loved him best and that would change his heart?

She never should have said anything. Ducking her head to hide her tears, she moved away from Naruto, too hurt to properly excuse herself.

"Oof!" Sakura cried out as they crashed into each other. "Watch where you're g--Hinata? Hinata, are you OK?"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's whole demeanor brightened. "Did you come back because you missed me?"

"As if. I left my ID at Ichiraku. What happened?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Hinata said, trying to leave again.

"Hinata, seriously, what happened?" Sakura pressed, and something inside Hinata snapped.

"Leave. Me. _Alone_." She pushed Sakura away a little too forcefully, knocking her to the ground. Sakura was too stunned to react, but Naruto was furious.

"What the hell, Hinata? You can't treat Sakura-chan like that!"

Hinata looked at them both, too emotional to defend herself, before turning and bolting away.

* * *

When Hinata woke up the next morning, she had one moment of blissful ignorance before she remembered what happened the day before. Remembering brought back the tears, so she crawled back under her quilt and sobbed, with no intention of leaving her bed that day.

Someone pounded on the door.

"Onee-sama!" Hanabi opened the door without waiting for an answer. "Father's summoned us. We need to report to him at once."

Hinata did her best to dry her tears and disguise the sobs as hiccups; Hanabi didn't seem to notice. "But I'm not dressed yet."

"Doesn't matter. We need to meet him right now."

Hinata followed her to her father's sitting room in the back of the main house. She was a little surprised to see Neji already sitting in the room, but she said nothing and only acknowledged his presence with the tiniest of nods.

"Good; you're all here." Hiashi looked terrible, as though he hadn't slept the night before. Hinata was about to ask if he was sick when her father continued. "Hanabi, you may stay; you need to hear this too."

Hanabi obediently knelt on the floor beside her sister.

Hiashi took a deep breath and began. "I have serious news. The entire clan will be addressed later today, but as this news affects you personally, I felt it best to give you advance warning."

Hinata's head began spinning; her stomach was in knots.

Hiashi sighed heavily and went on. "Haruno Sakura was found dead this morning."


	2. Chapter 2

Neji almost believed he'd heard incorrectly. Sakura? Dead? Impossible. With Tsunade out of the equation, Sakura was the second most skilled medical ninja in the village; any ailment she had, she could easily heal herself.

"Cause of death?" he asked, not caring that he was interrupting.

Hiashi didn't seem to mind. "A more detailed autopsy is being performed as we speak, but preliminary examinations suggest foul play. It's believed she died from internal injuries and abnormal chakra flow, not from external injuries. It's not definite, but it's likely the autopsy will show proof of chakra point manipulation."

"Gentle Fist," Hanabi whispered. Behind her, Hinata shuddered.

"Exactly." Hiashi rubbed his temples. "Normally, I would dismiss such an idea, that a member of the Hyuuga clan would kill a fellow Konoha citizen without provocation, but already, there are rumors. And with Tsunade-sama no longer in power…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence; everyone in the room knew that the Hokage was still incapacitated by a coma. Whoever was chosen to temporarily fill her seat would be responsible for solving the case and convicting the criminal, and considering it was more and more likely that Shimura Danzou would be chosen, it did not look good for any Hyuuga to be without an alibi for last night.

"Will the entire clan be expected to provide proof of their whereabouts?" Neji asked, incredulous that such a thing was possible.

Hiashi nodded. "Everyone needs to tell me where he was last night. Which is why I'm starting with you three. Hanabi?"

Hanabi scoffed. "You know where I was! We were training all afternoon!"

"And afterward, you were where?"

She pouted, not used to having her father distrust her. "I took a bath, ate dinner, did homework, and went to bed. You _saw_ me doing my homework."

"Good. Neji?"

"I was out with Lee and Tenten most of the night. They can vouch for me."

"I'm sure they'll be asked to verify that." He turned to his eldest daughter. "Hinata?"

She didn't look up when she answered. "I was out."

"Be more specific," Hiashi commanded. "Where exactly?"

Hinata kept her eyes fixed on the floor. "I was at the library for most of the afternoon."

"You weren't home for dinner, though, onee-sama," Hanabi pointed out. "Were you out with friends?"

All eyes were on Hinata; she was still avoiding eye contact, gripping her knees with her hands, a tactic Neji noticed she used to avoid tapping her fingers together.

"Yes. I was out with friends," she said at last. Hiashi closed his eyes in relief, but Neji narrowed his as he studied her. He didn't need to see her eyes to know she was lying.

* * *

Danzou assigned Ibiki and Inoichi to interview the Hyuuga clan members under suspicion. Most members of the clan were cleared from questioning once their alibis were verified, but those who were unable to prove their whereabouts were interviewed extensively. Even Neji, who had only been alone for a single hour, underwent a lengthy questioning process that gave him a headache.

Hinata was ordered to complete an interview with Inoichi as soon as possible. No one gave it much thought--this was Hyuuga Hinata, after all. What could _she_ do? But when she hadn't come out from the examination room after three hours, rumors began at once. Where _had_ Hinata been that night? Hadn't she been spotted with Sakura the evening before the murder? Could it be she was stronger than everyone thought?

Neji dismissed the rumors as sensationalist drivel--Hinata wasn't capable of murder. He wasn't even sure she'd ever killed anyone at all. But even he began to worry when Hinata was summoned for a second interview with Ibiki.

The night before the interview, he invited her to train, but she turned him down.

"I have a lot on my mind."

"So I imagine." He hesitated, not sure whether or not he should mention the obvious. "Hinata-sama, why haven't you told the truth about where you were the night of the murder?"

Hinata immediately froze up. "I can't talk about this."

"Hinata-sama--"

"I'm sorry, I just can't." She actually shut her door on him, the first time she'd ever displayed even a hint of rudeness. Neji was too shocked to realize until he'd gone back to his own room that she'd never actually claimed to be innocent.

* * *

Sakura's funeral took place one week after her death.

Neji dressed in mourning with the rest of the village and attended with his teammates. Lee was inconsolable, sobbing openly; his sleeve was soaked from trying to wipe away his tears. He wasn't alone; Naruto and Ino also shed tears without restraint. But Neji stared resolutely forward; he couldn't show emotion that easily. He still couldn't believe Sakura was gone; it seemed only yesterday that he'd seen her leaving the ramen stand.

After the speeches and the offering of incense and flowers, the village slowly filed away from the cemetery back to their homes. Neji fell behind from Lee and Tenten to walk beside Hinata.

"You came," he said.

"I did."

"I didn't think you would."

Hinata shrugged. "Sakura-san deserved this much." She frowned. "I... I wish our last meeting hadn't been..." She shook her head. "I don't want to--"

"What are you doing here?"

Neji turned in the direction of the voice yelling at them: Naruto. He scanned the space between him and Hinata; he had a feeling things could turn sour at a moment's notice.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata shrank within herself once she realized he was talking to her. "I-I just wanted to pay my respects."

"Pay your respects? You think you can fool us with that?"

"I don't..."

"Everyone knows you're the number one suspect," Naruto cried. "How could you come here? How could you kill Sakura-chan?!" He took a step closer, prompting Neji to activate his Byakugan.

Hinata was trembling, staring at the ground. "I didn't want this," she whispered. "I didn't want any of this." She turned on her heel and ran away.

Naruto let out a choked sob and kicked the ground, then looked at Neji. "Don't think I didn't notice that, Neji." He tapped his own eyes. "You shouldn't be so quick to defend her; what if she can't prove she's innocent?"

"Hinata-sama is not a murderer," Neji replied.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm having a harder and harder time believing that."

* * *

The day after Sakura's funeral, Hinata was arrested.

They came to the Hyuuga estate expecting a struggle, but she meekly submitted, allowing herself to be taken back to the jail in handcuffs.

A trial was set for a fortnight later. No one offered to defend her.

In hindsight, it was a done deal. Hinata refused to give a verifiable alibi. There were several eyewitnesses who testified that Hinata had an altercation with Sakura the same day she was murdered. The official cause of death was the severing of chakra lines invisible to the naked eye by a technique involving Gentle Fist-style chakra manipulation. All the pieces fit together, and no one bothered to provide an alternative theory.

Danzou went through the formalities and listened to all the testimonies, but he didn't take much time to pronounce a verdict and sentence.

"Hyuuga Hinata, I find you guilty of murder in the first degree," he said. "Given that we are in an uncertain time of transition and rebuilding, it is best we make it impossible for such a crime to happen again. Thus, I sentence you to death."

Hinata sank to her knees, her face ashen. The guard pulled her to her feet; she didn't resist as he led her back to jail.

As she left, a hubbub of noise broke out. Everyone expected her to be guilty, but no one expected a death sentence. Danzou was stricter than everyone realized.

As the crowd discussed the latest turn of events, Neji slipped away without notice. He was shaking, but whether from anger or fear, he could not have said.

* * *

It was dark inside the hall; no windows had been built into the makeshift building serving as the jail. Only a few lanterns lit the way toward the only holding cell.

The guard was inexperienced. Neji incapacitated him with three well-placed chakra blocks and hit the point that would make him lose consciousness. Easy.

Hinata was huddled in the corner of her cell, but she moved as his footsteps echoed against the walls. "Who is it?" she called before she recognized him. "Neji-nii-san! What are you--?"

"Quiet!" He scanned the area with his Byakugan, noting the locations of the other two he'd left alone. "I only knocked out one guard."

Hinata's eyes went wide. "Why would you--?"

"Not now." Neji jammed the key he'd stolen into the lock and managed to open her cell door. "Follow me."

Hinata silently obeyed.

Once they were out of the jail, Neji led her to a nearby training area, deserted at this time of night.

"I took the liberty of going in your room," he said, handing her the bag he'd packed with her clothing and the money he'd found in her desk drawer. "Are you hungry?"

"N-no."

"Good. We need to cover as much distance as possible before morning, so if you have any physical needs, take care of them now."

Hinata had confusion written all over her face. "Where are we going?"

Neji hesitated. He was risking everything right then. If they were caught, they'd both be punished, and Danzou's track record suggested that he wouldn't hesitate to inflict the death penalty for a crime as serious as desertion. But if they didn't flee, Hinata was dead no matter what.

He threw his bag over his shoulder. "Somewhere you'll be safe."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was posted for NejiHina Week 2016's Day 1 prompt, "marriage."

There was no moon the night they fled.

Hinata followed Neji, focusing all her attention on the flicker of white that was his back. He was far ahead, and she struggled to match his pace without losing her footing.

The mental whiplash of this evening alone was astonishing. The wind rushing in her face, the stars overhead, the smell of the forest all screamed to her that she should not be outside, that she should be back in her cell. It had been four hours by now; surely the guards had discovered her absence. There would be a search throughout the village; how long would it take before they searched the Hyuuga headquarters and discovered Neji was gone too?

She wondered if his friends would care; all her friends hadn't cared when she was convicted. Kiba, Shino, Naruto...

Her train of thought was broken when she slipped and almost missed the branch up ahead. She corrected herself in time to avoid falling, but it was a close call. _Don't think_ , she told herself. _Just run._

Neji stopped up ahead and waited for her to catch up.

"Why--?" she started, but he cut her off.

"I saw you slip. Here." He gave her a soldier pill and a flask of water. "I'll be right back."

Hinata sipped the water and tried to slow her heart rate. She was grateful for the chance to stop, but now that she had nothing else requiring her concentration, her mind was free to dwell on everything that had happened since that night.

 _That night..._ Every time she thought of it, Hinata felt queasy; she tried to force her mind elsewhere to keep from throwing up.

When Neji rejoined her, she was doubled over, head in her hands.

"Hinata-sama? What's wrong?"

"Why?" Hinata had difficulty getting the words out. "Why are you doing this?"

"We don't have time for--"

"Please! I need to know why you would risk yourself for me." Hinata couldn't make out Neji's face in the darkness, but when he finally spoke, his tone was matter-of-fact.

"If I didn't, you'd die."

"I was convicted of murder," she countered. "It was a fair sentence."

"If you were actually guilty."

Hinata swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "Everyone believes I am; you think I'm innocent?"

"I'm certain you are."

"What makes you so sure?"

Neji scoffed. "I've seen Sakura in battle. I know her strength. You're still slowed down by a six-week-old wound; even if you were fully recovered, it'd be impossible for you to kill Sakura. Besides, there's no way I can believe you're capable of such an act. You don't have it in you to kill someone in cold blood." He looked up at the sky. "We need to keep moving; it'll be dawn soon. Try to keep up; every second counts." And with that, he leapt away into the trees.

Hinata watched him disappear into the night, grateful that the darkness was able to hide how badly she was trembling. Neji was convinced of her innocence, but he had no idea what had actually happened that night. _He's wrong about me_ , she thought, plunging deeper into the forest after him. _So very wrong_.

* * *

They reached the Land of Birds just before sunset. The light shone on the lake surrounding the capital city, bathing the walls in orange and pink reflections. Normally, such a sight would fill Hinata with joy, but instead, her stomach was in knots.

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

Neji didn't answer. His face was set with determination and he exuded confidence, but Hinata was worried it was a front. Did he have a plan? She had no choice but to trust him.

"We need to think of a cover story," he said at last.

"A what?"

"'I abandoned my village because I was convicted of murder and sentenced to death' isn't a good case for granting asylum."

"No, it isn't." Hinata shivered. "What are we going to say?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Nothing seems to fit..." Neji trailed off as they reached the gate of the city.

"State your business," the guard said.

"I am a friend of Chishima-san," Neji said. "My companion and I wish to see him."

"About what matter?"

"That is private."

"Chishima-sama is now the consort of Daimyo Toki-sama," the guard said. "What makes you think he'll want to see a civilian like you?"

"Tell him Neji from Konoha has returned to visit," Neji replied. "I helped him solve the mystery of the cursed warrior three years ago; I think he and Toki-sama will grant me an audience."

"Very well. Follow me." The guard opened the gate and led them into the city.

"What are we going to say?" Hinata whispered as they drew closer to the palace. "Did you think of a plan?"

"Working on it. Just follow my lead, and agree with everything I say."

* * *

Hinata knelt before the Lady Daimyo and her consort and pressed her forehead to the tatami mat. Her heart was pounding, and she felt clammy with sweat. The Land of Birds was a small nation, but if the daimyo didn't believe Neji's story, whatever it was, there was a strong chance she would send them straight back to Konoha. Thank goodness Neji was doing all the talking; Hinata was so terrified that she couldn't speak if she tried.

"Congratulations on your marriage," Neji said. "I regret to inform you that I did not hear the happy news until after I arrived."

"It was a quiet affair," Toki said stiffly. "There was some opposition to the match."

"After Toki-sama's true identity was revealed, our neighboring countries were hesitant to continue trading with us," Chishima explained. "The Land of Birds has never had a woman ruler before, and diplomatic relationships were strained. So if the news got out that now the daimyo was married to a commoner..." He smiled at his wife, almost as if he couldn't believe his own luck. "Well, there was no need to make a grand announcement; we love each other, and that's all that matters."

Neji sat up a little straighter. "Of course." He gave Hinata a furtive glance, but she was too preoccupied to figure out what he was trying to tell her.

"So why have you come to visit at this time, Neji-san?" Toki continued. "I do not recall Konoha sending any messages announcing your arrival. Are you here for leisure?"

"Not quite. You see..." Neji paused. "I abandoned Konoha."

Hinata could not believe her ears. What was Neji thinking, coming right out and admitting it?

"You did what?" Chishima blurted out. "But that's treason! How could you--?"

Toki shushed him. "Continue, Neji-san. Why did you leave your country?" Her eyes were fixed on Hinata, who squirmed under her gaze.

"The woman beside me is my kinswoman. Are you familiar with the Hyuuga clan of Konoha?"

"Only that their Byakugan is highly acknowledged and that its secrets are difficult to discern."

"Well, the clan is divided into two houses: Main and Branch. Hinata-sa... _Hinata_ is a member of the Main house; I am not. Clan politics discourage us from even a casual relationship, so when we..." He pressed his hand on top of Hinata's; she almost drew it away in shock, but forced herself to keep it there and pretend it was natural. "When we fell in love, I knew that the only way we could be together was by leaving the village." He tightened his grip on her hand, and Hinata managed a weak smile. "We ran away to elope."

* * *

"Married?" Hinata hugged her arms around herself and tried to calm down. "Your brilliant idea for a cover story was to tell them that we ran away to get married?"

"It was the best idea that came to mind," Neji replied. "You heard the opposition Toki-sama and Chishima faced to legitimize their own relationship. I knew it was a story they would find sympathetic."

Hinata didn't reply; as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Chishima had been moved to tears at their plight, prompting Toki to grant them asylum on the spot; she promised to help find them work and lodging and even put them up in a room in the royal palace for the time being. But even if it had worked, Hinata was still uncomfortable with the idea.

"They believed it, but will anyone else? We're so young--I'm only sixteen! No one will believe we're an actual couple."

"Running away to get married is exactly the sort of thing a young couple would do," Neji said patiently. "It's a good cover. A man and a woman traveling together draws attention if they're anything other than husband and wife."

"Traveling? We're not going to stay here?"

"Not forever. Eventually someone from Konoha will think to look here. We're only staying long enough to establish ourselves as civilians. After that, we'll have to constantly be on the move."

Hinata hugged herself tighter. She knew that she had to trust Neji; the only alternative was death.

"All right, Neji-nii-san." She looked glumly at the single bed that had been laid out for them. "Do you want the bed or...?"

Neji sighed. "You take it," he said. "I will admit I didn't think through all the implications this pretend marriage would cause."

In spite of herself, Hinata smiled. "For better or for worse," she murmured. "You're really stuck with me now, Neji-nii-san."


	4. Chapter 4

Neji unlocked the door to their new apartment and pushed it open without fanfare.

It wasn't the most impressive place, just a small room with an attached kitchen, but it was theirs and better than nothing. He took off his sandals and stepped up onto the tatami mats to look out the bare window.

"There's a lake view," he called to Hinata, who hadn't moved from the doorway. "And the kitchen comes with a hot plate; we won't have to buy one." He slid open the closet doors; there wasn't much space, but they didn't have much to store.

Hinata stepped up and began her own inspection of the kitchen.

"We'll still need to buy a rice cooker," she said, examining the settings on the hot plate before pointing to the door perpendicular to the window. "That's the bathroom?"

"I think so." Neji opened it to find a tiny room with a toilet and sink.

Hinata's face fell, but she recovered quickly. "At least there's that..." she murmured, turning back to the kitchen cabinets to see how much space there was.

She was putting on a brave face, but Neji could tell she was deeply unhappy, more than usual. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her smile.

"I noticed some shops on our way here," he said. "If you want, we can go shopping now for what we need."

Hinata had moved to the window and was staring out at the view. Neji wasn't sure she'd heard him and was about to repeat his question when she sighed and closed her eyes.

"If it's all right, nii-san, I actually want to be alone for a moment." She crossed her arms. "If that's OK. I don't mean to be rude..."

"Of course it's all right." Neji couldn't blame her for wanting a little time to herself; they were always together now, sharing the same rooms, having to feign closeness that wasn't really there. It was more awkward than difficult for him, but for Hinata, who was already so shy, it must have been torture. No wonder she was out of sorts. "I'll go shopping and bring back something to eat then."

Hinata nodded slightly and went back to gazing out the window.

As Neji was pulling on his sandals to leave, she called to him.

"Neji-nii-san?"

"What?"

She hesitated. "Come back safe."

"...I will."

* * *

Walking through the neighborhood was like stepping into a picture from a history book. Retail and residential areas competed for space, often within the same buildings, and the people running open-front shops peddled their wares in loud voices, enticing customers inside.

Neji set off down the street, noting the important places they would need. The public bath was two blocks down, the vegetable market and the butcher were across from each other, and there was a fabric store selling bolts of fabric alongside simply-made clothing. This was a shock; as far as he knew, no one in Konoha made his own clothing. Neji could stitch up a tear and sew on a button if needed, but making clothes was beyond him. He'd have to ask Hinata if she could sew.

He found a general store and stopped in to compare rice cookers. They had a sale on sets of dishes, and Neji looked over the different patterns. He didn't care what his plates and bowls looked like, but he thought Hinata would like something a little fancier than plain white. He stopped; maybe he shouldn't choose something without her input. Couples typically chose such things together, didn't they?

 _But we're not a couple_ , he told himself, deciding on a traditional pattern of leaves and blossoms.

At the counter, the store owner totaled up his purchases.

"Will you need any assistance transporting your purchases home, ma'am?" she asked.

He didn't notice the mistake at first, too busy counting out the appropriate amount of money from his wallet, but once he realized how he had been addressed, he looked up in shock.

"Excuse me?"

The woman laughed. "Oh! I'm sorry, sir. Your hair... I mistook you for a woman." Still laughing, she started wrapping his purchases in the square pieces of cloth used to transport them safely. "Here you are. All set for the new year."

"The what?"

"Where have you been?" she chided him. "It's almost the end of the year. That's why it's been so busy; everyone's preparing for the celebrations." She pointed to the calendar behind the counter. "Just a few more days to go!"

Neji looked at the calendar; all of the dates before the current day were neatly crossed out. Something about the date seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember why.

He paid for his items and arranged for delivery of the bulkier ones he couldn't carry, then set off for home.

On the way back, Neji watched the villagers around him. A few people looked at him a little longer than he felt was normal, which worried him. The whole point of posing as civilians was to blend in; whatever was making him stand out would have to change.

It struck him that none of the male villagers wore his hair past the collarbone. The owner of the general store thought he was a woman; did the villagers staring at him now think he was one too? He was carrying a lot of packages; maybe they thought he was carrying too heavy a load.

His theory was confirmed when he almost dropped something and a youngster yelled to him, "Hey, lady, if you give me some candy, I'll help you carry your stuff."

He was too mortified to respond. He gathered his packages in a huff and stormed back home.

"I'm back," he called when he opened the door. There was a thin sliding door separating the front door from the entryway that Hinata had shut; he wondered if he should knock before she opened it.

"Welcome back," she said before scooting out of the way so that Neji could start putting down the parcels he was carrying. "Goodness! What did you buy?"

"A rice cooker. Dishes. A few other things we need." He finished unloading and stood up to stretch his arms. "Go ahead and open them. There are a few other things coming later today. Hopefully you like all of it."

"It doesn't matter to me," Hinata said, untying the bundles and setting aside the cloths for later. "As long as it works, I'm happy with it. What's this?" She opened a cardboard box of steaming chicken wings. "Dinner?"

"The local specialty," Neji answered, checking his pocket for the kunai he kept in case of emergency. He needed to sharpen it.

* * *

After they finished eating, Hinata busied herself with organizing their new kitchen equipment. There wasn't much cupboard space, but she had a knack for maximizing what was available.

Neji took his time sharpening his kunai. It took a good twenty minutes before it was ready, but he sat there a long time, staring motionless at the tool in his hand.

 _There's no use putting it off,_ he thought, but he still needed a few more minutes to convince himself to finally act.

He untied his hair, swept it back with one hand at the base of his neck, and picked up the kunai with the other hand. He gave himself a count of three, and was about to slice through when Hinata looked over and saw what he was doing.

"Nii-san? What are you--? Stop!" She pulled the kunai out of his hand. Neji was too shocked to resist.

"What are you doing?" she continued. "You weren't going to... what were you thinking?"

"I need to cut my hair," he stated. "I stand out too much here."

"How so?"

Neji flushed. "I... I was mistaken for a woman earlier," he mumbled. "Twice."

Hinata sank to the ground. "Oh..." She tried to look serious, but the way she was pressing her lips together betrayed her inner emotions.

Neji sighed. "Go ahead. Get it over with."

She was kind enough to avert her eyes while she laughed. Neji eventually joined in. He had to admit, it _was_ funny, even if the joke was at his expense.

"You can't cut your hair," Hinata said after she'd composed herself. "You'd look terrible with short hair!"

"Would I really?"

She nodded vigorously. "Besides, it would take forever to grow back! It took me three years to get my hair as long as it is, and yours is longer!"

"True." He'd only had a significant amount cut off once, and it took two years to grow back. "But I can't just leave it like this."

"Here." Hinata picked up one of the squares of cloth that their dishes had been wrapped in and folded it in half to make a triangle. "May I?"

Neji inclined his head, and she moved behind him and deftly wrapped his hair in the makeshift scarf before tying it around his forehead.

"There." She held up a mirror. "What do you think?"

 _Not half bad_ , he thought, admiring his reflection. It was similar to how some shinobi wore their forehead protectors, and it conveniently hid the seal on his forehead along with his hair. "I like it," he admitted. "Can you teach me how to do it?"

"Of course."

After going through it step-by-step, Hinata watched as Neji tried on his own.

"There. You've mastered it," she said with a laugh. "All set for work tomorrow."

"Thank you." Neji paused. Today was the first day he'd seen Hinata smile since they ran away.

"It's good to hear you laugh again," he said. "There hasn't been much laughter in our lives of late."

Hinata seemed a little taken aback, but after some reflection, she nodded.

"I need to apologize to you, Neji-nii-san. So much has changed in so short a time, and I've been selfish." She ran her fingers over the ridges of the tatami. "My birthday was yesterday."

Neji's jaw dropped. Her birthday? He knew the date looked familiar. Of course she would be upset; he was the only person who could possibly remember, and he'd forgotten.

"I'm so sorry; I completely-"

"No, I'm not upset with you! It's just..." She knit her fingers together. "I didn't remember either.

"I've been trying so hard not to think about... well..." She stopped, blinking back tears. "I know that nothing will be the same, not after everything that's happened, but I didn't think it would change that fast."

Neji didn't know how to respond, but he understood. He tried not to dwell on the life he'd left behind, but the truth was he missed Konoha. He had fled without a second thought, without the benefit of saying goodbye. But every time he thought of home, he saw Hinata behind bars once more, soberly awaiting her fate. Returning home meant death; he had to be strong to keep Hinata safe, no matter how homesick he felt.

"Well," he said, "I have a good feeling that things will stay the same for a while."

Hinata gave him a tiny smile. "Here's hoping. With one exception."

"What's that?"

She spread the curtains he'd chosen out on the table. "These are hideous. Can we exchange them?"

Neji laughed. "Consider it a birthday present.


	5. Chapter 5

An hour before dawn on a chilly spring morning, Hinata rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and got up to start breakfast. Neji was still asleep, so she quietly measured the rice and put a pot of broth on to boil. She washed her face, combed and braided her hair, and adjusted the simple robe she'd slept in to look presentable for the rest of the day before she opened the door to find the daily tofu delivery on her doorstep. She put away her futon and moved the table out.

Breakfast was simple: rice, miso soup, and pickles. She stifled a yawn as she stirred some broth into the thick miso paste; she'd slept badly the night before. The rice cooker beeped to let her know the rice was finished cooking, and she scooped out steaming heaps to make rice balls for Neji's lunch.

When Neji woke up, breakfast was laid out on the table, and Hinata had just finished pouring him his first cup of tea.

"Thanks," he mumbled before sitting down and taking a grateful sip.

The meal was a quiet affair. Neji was rarely in the mood for conversation early in the morning, so Hinata busied herself with mentally planning her day.

First, she would wash dishes and clean up the kitchen. Put away the bedding. Sweep the floors and clean the lavatory.

It would take only an hour to finish those tasks. Fourteen more hours to go...

"I'm off," Neji said, pulling his sandals on. Hinata stood up to hand him his lunch.

"You really don't have to make lunch for me every day," he said.

"It gives me something to do." She gave him a tight smile. "Come back safe."

After she finished her cleaning, Hinata left for the market to buy ingredients for dinner. Their budget was tight, so she didn't really have any business lingering over the choice cuts of meat, but she took her time inspecting everything before finally choosing. She resisted the urge to browse inside the book store; she'd already bought three books, and there wasn't money for more. She did allow herself a small treat: lunch at the counter of a yakitori stall, but after five sticks of grilled chicken, she paid and walked away.

She walked back slowly, dreading the return back to a silent house. The space between lunch and dinner was the longest and most frustrating part of her day. With all chores and errands done, Hinata had trouble finding ways to fill the time. She could only reread her books so many times. Sometimes she tried to train, but the apartment was too small for her to move about as she liked. Some days, she wound up taking a nap out of sheer boredom.

Today, she sat at the table, drinking a cup of tea and staring at the four walls surrounding her. She'd dreamed for years of being a homemaker, of being the perfect wife to her dream husband. Now she looked back on that dream with bitterness; her idealized fantasies were so much more interesting than the mundane reality that had become her life. The silence threatened to crush her; each day blurred into the next without variation.

 _It's different_ , she told herself. _It would be different if I was married to Naruto_. But deep down, she wasn't sure she believed that.

She stood, almost knocking over the table, and headed for the door, unable to spend another minute inside. She walked aimlessly into town, passing the familiar shops before turning down a street she always passed. Neji didn't like her exploring, since it was best to keep a low profile, but Hinata banished his warning from her mind. She had to do something, anything, other than stay inside.

As she wandered down the avenue, she noticed a few men jostling each other for a better look at a dirty magazine they shared. She averted her eyes, but not before they noticed her. One of them whistled, and the others gave her a look that made her heart pound.

There was a policeman stationed at the end of the block, but Hinata knew getting authorities involved wouldn't be wise. She activated her Byakugan to keep an eye on the men and doubled her pace.

Fearing the worst, she headed for the nearest public building she could see and ducked in.

She paused in the entryway and watched them through the door to watch them. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized they didn't follow and relaxed.

Now that she was calm, Hinata realized she was in a library. A library! She broke into a grin; this would make all the difference! Now she could read every afternoon for free!

She went up and down the aisles, picking up a few novels and a cookbook, but when she went up to the counter to check them out, the librarian asked for her name.

"I-I-I," she stuttered, terrified when she realized her mistake. "I just remembered I have to go!"

She fled the library on the verge of tears. She knew she had to put her safety first, but leaving the books behind while knowing she had to return to the punishing emptiness of home stung enough to crush her.

She told Neji about the library over dinner, leaving out the part about the lustful men. No sense causing any extra worry, she reasoned.

"Perhaps we should use pseudonyms," he suggested. "We should still limit our interaction with villagers, but it's impossible to avoid everything."

"That would work," she agreed. "I would love to be able to read in the afternoons."

"It has a practical purpose too," Neji continued. "Our best chance of eventually proving your innocence is to find the person who actually killed Sakura."

Hinata's stomach dropped. Why did Neji have to keep bringing this up? Every time she tried to forget it...

"I told you already, that's not-"

"Let me finish. You can use your time in the library to research jutsu. It's not very likely that another Hyuuga committed the murder, so whoever did probably used something similar to Gentle Fist."

Hinata set down her bowl of rice. "You're suggesting I was framed."

"Weren't you?" Neji took a sip of tea. "It seems too contrived to be a coincidence."

Hinata stared at her rice until the individual grains started to blur together. "I don't understand why you won't believe that I did it when that is what actually happened."

Neji, preoccupied with a last bite of fish, didn't answer. Hinata refused to look away, willing herself to be bold and hold her gaze until he looked up, but when he did, she averted her eyes.

"I can't believe it, and I won't," he said simply. He set down his chopsticks and thanked her for the meal, then moved to the window for his daily meditation.

Hinata washed dishes methodically, upset with herself. She hated that Neji was still prying into the mystery. It felt like he was poking a wound; every time he brought it up, Hinata started to bleed again. Maybe she should tell him everything, unburden herself of her terrible secret... but if he knew exactly what happened, would he even still be here?

She glanced over her shoulder to look at him. The first time she saw him meditating, she was unnerved by how absolutely still he went, but now she found it fascinating. What would it be like to clear her mind of all unpleasant thoughts and every haunting memory?

Neji usually bathed before dinner so he laid out their beds while she finished putting away the dishes. He was asleep before she left to take her bath at the public one down the road.

Normally her bath was the most relaxing part of her day, but tonight, she tried clearing her mind as she soaked in the hot water. It was impossible; she couldn't stop reliving that horrible night, hearing Sakura's pitiful voice as she cried out for help...

She sank down into the water; she wouldn't sleep well tonight either.

* * *

Hinata had no intention of actually doing research. Now that "Konata" had a library card, she spent every free minute reading whatever she wanted. She brought home stacks of cookbooks, romance novels, and literary classics that she'd always meant to read but never before had time. She didn't have to worry about Neji's disapproval; rice planting had begun in earnest, and each night, he came home so exhausted that there was no chance of conversation. He saw books and didn't question their contents, and Hinata saw no need to correct him.

But after a few months had gone by, Neji got a few days off and insisted on visiting the library with her to see the progress she'd made. Hinata tried to cover her tracks by taking him to the medical section; she grabbed the first book she saw and scanned the contents.

"Here," she said, pointing out a chapter on chakra control. "I thought this was interesting."

Neji scanned a few pages. "It looks like you're on the right track. Medical ninjutsu does have similar properties to Gentle Fist. Both techniques involve injecting the user's chakra into the other's body. The difference lies in intention: to heal or to harm." He handed the book back. "Perhaps Sakura was attacked by a fellow medical student."

Hinata said nothing and hoped this was the end of the matter, but Neji decided to peruse the shelves himself. Soon, he'd amassed a large stack of books for her to read.

After they'd carried them home, Hinata stared at some of the thicker volumes of dense medical theory. Her knowledge of medicine was limited to natural remedies, and most of the ones she made didn't really work. She was no healer. She picked up on the heavier books and opened it.

"Find anything interesting?" Neji asked from across the room.

Hinata grimaced; why did he have to be so insistent on this?

"Not yet," she answered as she grudgingly started the first chapter.

Despite her initial resistance to the research, Hinata found herself engrossed by the particulars of medical ninjutsu. She studied exact techniques, the many ways to manipulate chakra to staunch bleeding, reset bones, even regenerate cells. She read about the jutsu that saved Neji's life once after that failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. Hinata thought about Sasuke more often now; he, too, had fled the village and disappeared without a trace. His success spelled a chance that she and Neji could remain undiscovered.

As her knowledge of medical ninjutsu increased, she concluded that such powerful techniques could be subverted and used for ill instead of good, but Hinata wasn't ready to tell Neji that just yet. His enthusiasm in proving her innocence was kind, but she didn't think it wise to give him impossible hope.

As she left the library that afternoon, she passed the main square and noticed a growing commotion. A cluster of people were swarming the front of the town hall, staring at a bulletin board. Hinata wondered if the woman two doors down had finally given birth to her triplets; hoping there were pictures, she joined the throng to get a closer look.

When she finally caught a glimpse through the crowd, she couldn't hold back her gasp of shock. Her face, rendered in stark black and white, stared back at her. She recovered just in time to note that an identical portrait of Neji was posted next to it and quickly read the words "Wanted Fugitives."

She backed away slowly, keeping her head down, then, once clear from the main square, ran for home. She stood in the entryway, heart pounding, not knowing what to do next. They would be discovered. It was only a matter of time.

She forced herself to think. If she gathered their belongings now, she'd look suspicious. She needed to blend in, do what she always did. But fear clawed its way from her stomach to her throat, threatening to make her vomit. She needed to tell Neji. She needed his help.

She headed out towards the rice fields, suppressing the instinct that told her to run.

Neji was bent over planting rice by hand. It was a warm and humid day, and Hinata could feel her body getting sticky inside her robe. Most of the other laborers had shrugged off their shirts, but Neji kept his on. He looked so much the epitome of calm and cool collection that Hinata almost burst into tears when she saw him.

"Jin-san!" she called, using the false name they'd agreed upon. Neji straightened immediately and walked over to her.

"What is it?"

"It's an emergency," she said, folding her hands into a universal shinobi hand signal, the one that said "DANGER. WE ARE NOT SAFE."

Neji inhaled sharply. "Is this something that can wait?" he asked.

Hinata swallowed. "No."

"Just a moment."

Neji talked to the foreman a few moments and then came back to Hinata's side, guiding her by the elbow as they walked back to their apartment.

"Come along, dearest," he said. Hinata felt a chill go up her spine as all the other workers smiled in their direction. She hoped they weren't looking too closely.

Once they reached the apartment, Neji dropped the act and focused on the task at hand with laser-like precision.

"What happened?"

Hinata didn't waste words. "We're in the Bingo Book. There are wanted posters on display in the main square. There's a reward if we're returned to Konoha."

Neji rubbed his temples. "So soon," he said. "I didn't expect this for at least a few more months."

Hinata was shocked. Neji was expecting this? "You mean, you knew...?"

"I suspected that eventually they'd start looking for us. You know that Sasuke is in the Bingo Book, right?"

Hinata hadn't known. It made sense, but somehow, she hadn't thought that one of her own classmates could end up in the same book as some of the most villainous shinobi in the world. Now she was ranked among them.

 _I deserve it_ , she thought. _But Neji-nii-san is suffering because of me._

"We need to leave. Tonight." Neji went to the closet and pulled out some sheets. "Take only what you can carry. We'll need to move fast."

Hinata wasn't surprised. Her first instinct had been to flee, but somehow, when Neji said it, it seemed safer, like they weren't in danger anymore.

In the dead of night, they tiptoed out of the apartment, leaving it unlocked. Hinata was petrified and shaking as she pulled her pack onto her back. They only brought the most essential supplies: rice, a few cooking utensils, and clothing. Everything else, they left behind.

Neji didn't say a word, only pointing in the direction they needed to go. North. Hinata squared her shoulders and followed him to wherever that led.


	6. Chapter 6

It was harvest time in the Land of Vegetables. Farming wasn't Neji's favorite type of work, but there was a certain satisfaction about pulling up crops he'd planted himself.

The village was small and poor, an excellent place to hide. He and Hinata rented a drab but comfortable room from a quiet inn, where they could resume the lives they'd begun in the Land of Birds. Neji never had any shortage of work; someone always needed an extra hand with farming. The pay wasn't great, but he and Hinata had plenty of fresh produce to eat.

The foreman called out that it was lunchtime. Neji wiped his sweaty forehead-it was warm for September-and slung his pack off his back. He'd been working since sunrise, and he was famished. But when he opened his bag, he realized he'd forgotten his lunch.

"Hey, Jin," a fellow farmer named Ren said. "Isn't that your wife?"

Neji still got a chill whenever someone called Hinata that. He had to fight the urge to correct him.

"That's her." He stood and raised a hand in greeting. Harvesting was dusty work, and he suspected Hinata wouldn't be able to tell him apart from the others.

"I'm sorry to bother you at work," she said, thrusting a wrapped lunchbox into his hands. "You forgot this."

"Thanks." Neji didn't know if he was supposed to wait until she left to start eating or not, but his hunger overwhelmed any sense of etiquette. He opened it to find one of her beautifully packed lunches, filled with rice, egg omelet, vegetables, and some fried chicken. It looked like something from a movie.

"Wow!" Ren gasped. "I wish my wife would cook for me like that! All I get are lousy plain rice balls, not even a pickled plum or fish flakes inside. You're a lucky man!"

Hinata turned bright red, and Neji shook his head. Of course she would let a compliment like that get to her.

"She is an excellent cook," he agreed. "I guess I am lucky."

"Say, missus, ever think you'd make extra?" Ren asked. "I'd pay you to have a good lunch like that."

Some of the other farmers chimed in saying they'd pay for lunches too. Neji had a mouth full of rice and couldn't protest, but he was alarmed. This was more attention than either of them should attract.

"W-well, I suppose I could try it once, just to see." She looked up at Neji for approval. "If that's all right with my husband."

With all eyes on him, Neji decided it would be unwise to refuse.

That night after dinner, Hinata sat at the table tallying ingredients and poring over recipes, planning for the six lunches she was planning on selling the next day.

"If I sell them at 500 ryou each, I'd make a profit of..." She counted silently and wrote something down. "Maybe I should use bamboo shoots instead of mushrooms."

Neji said nothing, watching her work. He wasn't sure what he could say. Almost a year after they'd left Konoha, the dynamics of their arrangement confused him. They were effectively on a long-term undercover mission, but was he the leader, or were they partners? They'd never formally discussed it, and this far along, he wasn't sure how to bring it up.

"How will this affect your time for research?" he asked. "You haven't said much about what you've found lately."

Hinata paused in her calculations. "I don't think cooking a few extra lunches will make much of a time difference," she replied. "And the library here isn't very good, so I haven't been able to find much to read."

"I see."

She bent over her numbers again. Neji watched her for a bit before getting up to wash the dishes.

Every night without fail, Hinata cleaned up after dinner. This was the first time she'd left a chore unfinished; that she'd completely forgotten about it unnerved him.

"You don't have to do that!" she said once she realized what he was doing. "I shouldn't have left it."

"It's fine; I don't mind." He wasn't lying; the monotony of dishwashing soothed him. It gave him time to think.

He did not like this, not one bit. It was fine for him to work; he was only wanted for desertion, not desertion and murder. Hinata shouldn't draw any more attention to herself than was necessary.

But what could he say? It was obvious she had made up her mind already. It didn't bother him that she wanted something for herself, but deep down, he begrudgingly had to admit he didn't like that she hadn't even talked to him about it.

He dried the last dish and set it in the cupboard.

Hinata was still writing at the table when he pulled out his bedding and went to sleep.

* * *

 _Control. Balance. Detachment_.

Daily meditation was the key to maintaining the cool exterior Neji always had. Most people assumed he was that way naturally, but it actually took an enormous effort to keep his emotions inside. Neji pulled them back often; he couldn't help feeling, but he had no desire to show those feelings to anyone.

The past few months, he'd been pushing down more emotions than usual.

Hinata's lunch business had taken off. The first day she brought them, she sold out; now she got several orders every week. Hinata was overjoyed, but Neji couldn't help feeling apprehensive. Most of the farmers didn't give her much notice, but it was still more attention than he felt was wise.

But apprehension, Neji could deal with. It was the irritation that he struggled to control now.

Everything bothered him. He couldn't pinpoint what exactly about this venture upset him, but he _was_ upset. Deep down, perhaps it was his pride after all. Hinata made better money than he did. If it weren't for local convention, he could quit working and let her be the breadwinner, but that wouldn't do. They had to keep up appearances for the sake of the mission.

Lately, Hinata didn't seem to remember that there _was_ a mission. He couldn't remember the last time she'd brought home a book that wasn't a cookbook. She didn't normally discuss her research with him, but Neji wondered if she'd abandoned it altogether. The first rule of a long-term mission was to remain focused on the task at hand. He couldn't understand why Hinata wasn't working harder on the quest to prove she was innocent. Neji didn't believe for a second that she was guilty, so why was she so reluctant? Didn't she want to go home one day?

He realized he was frowning and pushed the irritation away. _Detachment. Control_. He had to let it go.

After Neji finished meditating, he looked over his shoulder to see what Hinata was doing. She was cooking—no surprise there.

"New recipe?" he asked.

"Yes," Hinata answered, not taking her eyes off the stove. "And it's a tricky one, so I really can't stop right now."

Another twinge of irritation. Neji forced it down.

"I have an errand to run; need me to bring anything back?"

"Actually, could you return my library books for me?" She pointed to a stack on the counter.

Neji put them in his bag. "Sure. Be back soon."

* * *

The library system in the Land of Vegetables really was small; Neji was surprised that he had to return the books in person to a librarian.

"Oh, you must be Konata-san's husband then!" she said with a laugh as she checked in each book. "You're much thinner than I expected you to be, what with all the cookbooks she takes home."

Her laugh sounded like an owl hooting; Neji's expression must have reflected his annoyance because she sobered up when she finally looked up at him. "Ahem... is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

"I'll just take a look around, if that's all right."

The library had decent selection despite its size. Neji lingered in fiction, looking over the classics he'd grown up reading. The thought of being enveloped in a familiar story for the rest of the afternoon was tempting, but he resisted and moved on to nonfiction.

The medical section didn't receive much traffic; each book had a thick layer of dust on top. Neji pulled out a few volumes and checked their indexes. To his surprise, two of the books had sections specifically on medical ninjutsu's relationship to offensive chakra manipulation techniques. One even explicitly related Gentle Fist to medical jutsu. How had Hinata missed this?

The obvious explanation was that she had never looked in the first place.

Neji took the long way back to the inn. The annoyance constantly simmering inside him had boiled over into anger. With each step, he imagined how he would confront Hinata about this.

What was she thinking? If there was any chance new information could bring them closer to finding Sakura's murderer, then it was worth investigating. Even if it was fruitless in the end, why wouldn't Hinata make the effort?

And how could it not help? Every bounty hunter on the continent was looking for them. Until Hinata could clear her name, they would never be safe.

He bit his lip. For all of Hinata's kindness, she could be selfish. Neji had given up everything to save her life, yet she couldn't even try to find a way to get them back home. He hated moving all the time, hated doing unskilled labor for a living, hated how much he missed his old life.

He tasted blood; he'd bitten down so hard on his lip that it had split.

When he opened the door to their room, Hinata didn't notice his return. She was humming as she cooked, lost in the happiness of productivity.

He shut the door harder than he should have, making her jump.

"Oh! I didn't hear you come in," she said. Her eyes widened. "What happened to your lip?"

"Hinata-sama, I need to—"

"Don't talk; you're getting blood everywhere!" Hinata came over with a towel and pressed it to his face. "Hold this." She went to her nightstand and rummaged around the drawer until she produced a container of medicine.

"Here." She moved the cloth and gently applied balm to the wound. "That'll stop the bleeding."

She looked up at him, her face open and trusting, and Neji felt all the anger rush out of him like air out of a balloon.

"Neji-nii-san?"

"I... forgot something. I need to go back out." He was out the door before she could say anything else.

He set out without purpose, ashamed he'd lost his temper. Even if he hadn't said anything, he'd been so close to losing control. And it wasn't the first time she'd been the cause of his rage. Why did he let Hinata get under his skin like that?

He walked down to the river and sat on the bank, watching the water flow. The sound of the water was soothing, and he closed his eyes to meditate.

_Control._

Hinata always conjured strong feelings. He'd spent most of his life hating her, and although their relationship had mended to the point where they were almost friends, he still had a spark of that deep inside. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to get rid of it entirely.

_Balance._

Making decisions based on emotions was unwise. He had to maintain a clear head. When Neji made the decision to free Hinata from prison, it had been a purely logical decision. He had thought through every possible solution and chosen the one with the highest chance of success.

_Detachment._

Neji worked hard to keep himself from forming tight bonds with others. Even with Lee and Tenten, he'd kept a healthy distance, rarely spending time with them outside of missions or training. Naruto had changed that and helped him realize the importance of friendship, but it was still dangerous to get too close to anyone. He needed a healthy distance.

The image of Hinata lying on the ground after Pain's attack popped into his mind. He hated remembering that. Gai had instructed him to fan out and look for survivors, but once Neji saw her, he ran to her side and refused to leave. Seeing her like that... He forced the image from his mind. That kind of impaired judgment was exactly why he needed to focus on the mission at hand.

Control. Balance. Detachment. Those were what he needed now. Giving in to anger would not help him protect Hinata, and if he didn't protect her, she would die. He couldn't have that on his conscience.

* * *

It was well past noon when Neji finished meditating, and he stopped for lunch at one of the stalls on his way back.

As he ate his grilled squid, he heard a voice that was familiar. Thinking it was a fellow farmer, he didn't turn, but then he heard a dog bark, and his blood ran cold. Kiba? _Here_?

He activated Byakugan and scanned the area. He spotted the dog first, its owner right behind him, a few meters away in an alley crossing the street where Neji was.

They were too close. Close enough to hear, close enough to smell.

He dropped his squid, no longer hungry.

He had to warn Hinata, but going back to the inn would leave a scent trail.

He turned in the opposite direction, walking towards Kiba. If Kiba caught his scent, he could lead him away from Hinata, but Neji needed a way to lose him before circling back to the inn.

Instead, he headed toward the river. As expected, he watched Akamaru perk up and Kiba turn in his direction. He smiled; his plan was working well. Too well.

He scanned the area around him and noticed Shino standing on the riverbank.

"Damn it..." Of course they knew he'd head for the river.

Kiba was only a few blocks behind him now; Neji had to think fast.

He turned left down the next street, ran down a few blocks, turned left again, then headed back for the street he was originally on. Then he headed to the right, making loops in two different directions.

That would tie up Kiba for a bit. But he still had to lose him completely...

He saw a bathhouse down the way. Too risky; he could be trapped inside. And besides, soap wouldn't mask his scent.

A flash of inspiration came, and he darted down a side alley he often avoided.

The Land of Vegetables wasn't known for high fashion, but it still had a few shops for women seeking a little glamor. Neji ran into the first perfume shop he found and sprayed himself with as many different test bottles of cologne as he could find.

A bewildered saleswoman cleared her throat.

"May I help you, sir?"

Neji handed her his wallet. "I need a bottle of the strongest perfume you have."

While Kiba was tied up with following the decoy trails, Neji ran back to the inn. Hinata hadn't even welcomed him home before he started spraying her with perfume, setting off a coughing fit.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"No time to explain. We have to leave. Now."

"Again?" Hinata turned pale. "Someone's hunting us..."

He gave a curt nod, then went to the dresser drawer to pack his bag. Hinata rushed to do the same.

It didn't take long; they had no sentimental items.

"Ready?" he asked.

Hinata nodded.

Neji hesitated opening the door. "I have to warn you, the ones after us-"

"Kiba-kun, isn't it?" Hinata met his gaze. "There's no other reason you would buy something smelling this vile."

"Yes. Shino too."

She squared her shoulders. "Then I can't make any mistakes." Her eyes flashed as she activated Byakugan. "Let's go."

They made it to the boundaries of the village without problems. Neji led them east towards Konoha, knowing Kiba and Shino would expect him to push west.

They were making their way through a forest when Hinata grabbed his shoulder and pointed south.

Neji felt his heart rise in his throat; only a few meters away, Lee was walking on his hands in one of his bizarre training exercises. Just past him, Tenten was shaking her head, hands on hips, clearly disapproving.

They knew I'd go this way, he thought. They're here because they know me.

He forced himself to think. Scan for others, assess all options, find a way out, choose the unexpected. But he couldn't bring himself to move.

Hinata tapped his shoulder again. She was looking right at his teammates, now joined by Kiba and Shino.

"We have to go right past them," she whispered.

Neji shook his head; it was too risky. They'd pass close enough to be heard, and he knew those four were astute enough to notice.

"It's the only way," Hinata insisted. "Shino-kun's planted insects."

Even if he had further range of sight, Hinata saw smaller objects better than he could. Neji refocused his view to see she was right. A screen of insects flanked them in both directions. The only way to avoid them was to head straight for their former teammates, then find some way through.

He knew what he had to do.

"All right. Here's the plan."

They approached in absolute silence. Once they were within hearing distance of the others, they stopped, and Hinata searched for an insect-free area where they could squeeze past.

She pointed out the way, and Neji stepped in front of her, checking for other dangers.

Oblivious, Tenten was complaining that no one was taking the mission seriously enough.

"How could you lose Neji's scent?" she berated Kiba. "Are you sure you even had it in the first place?"

"I swear I smelled him!" Kiba growled. "Hinata too! I just couldn't figure out where it was coming from." He rubbed his nose. "Something smells awful over here, though; some animal must've died."

"Some tracker you are," Tenten groaned. "Neji's not an idiot; if he knows we're after him, he'll see through all my traps."

She was right; Neji was disarming one as she spoke. He pocketed the explosive tag.

"But Hinata won't," Shino said. "Why? Because she'll be too busy avoiding my insects."

Hinata tapped Neji, pointing out more bugs. They crept around each twig, not even rustling a single leaf, as they made their way around the obstacles.

Almost clear, Neji thought. He nodded for Hinata to go ahead as they'd planned; he had one last security measure to perform.

He attached the explosive tag to a kunai and looked back at his team, the two people who knew him best. He'd forgotten how goofy Lee was, how straight-laced Tenten could be.

_Detachment._

He steeled himself before lighting the tag and throwing the kunai directly above Lee's head.

"The hell was that?" Kiba asked.

"It came from over-" Lee started, but Tenten cut him off.

"RUN!" she screamed.

Neji didn't stay to watch the explosion. Attachment was dangerous; he had to leave the bonds behind.

He rejoined Hinata at the place they'd chosen several kilometers away. She tried to hide that she'd been crying, but her eyes were red.

"Kiba-kun and Shino-kun... are they...?"

"I didn't look back," he admitted, "but I think any shinobi of some competence could avoid that."

"Good." She rubbed her eyes on her sleeve. "Where do we go now? At this point, is anywhere safe?"

Neji stared off into the distance. He wished he had an answer.

* * *

END PART ONE


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally posted for NejiHina Week 2017 Take Two!'s prompt, "cold."

PART TWO

* * *

Hinata shook out a sheet and folded it over the clothesline, securing it with the pins she pulled off her apron. She stepped back to look at the sky, shading her eyes with one hand. It was a clear day, bright and sunny, with only a few small clouds out over the ocean. If not for the chill in the air, she'd have a hard time believing it was the middle of winter.

"Good idea doing laundry today," her neighbor Mrs. Sasaki said, leaning on her cane. "It wouldn't surprise me if it snowed tomorrow."

"Really? But it's so beautiful today!" Hinata said as she resumed hanging up clothes. "I can't imagine the weather turning that fast."

"Trust me, Konata-chan," the old woman wheezed. "I've lived on this island my whole life, and my bones don't lie. There's a freeze coming, a bad one. You'd best prepare your household. Does that pretty husband of yours know how to build a fire?"

Hinata flushed at the mention of Neji. Mrs. Sasaki was overly invested in their "marriage" and never missed the opportunity to tease Hinata about it.

"He knows how," she answered. "And we have plenty of wood stocked up."

"You'd better double however much you have," Mrs. Sasaki said. "People died in past freezes. Better safe than sorry."

Too kind to protest, Hinata promised to check as soon as Neji came home.

"Of course, two young people like you, you'll have no problem staying warm." Mrs. Sasaki chuckled between coughs. "And you know what happens about nine months after a freeze..." Her eyes twinkled with expectation. Ever since they'd moved to the island five months ago, Mrs. Sasaki had been pestering them about how wonderful it would be to finally have children living next door.

Flustered, Hinata finished her laundry and rushed back inside.

More than a year had passed since they fled the Land of Vegetables. Since then, they'd moved twice, staying in small villages Hinata didn't even know existed before. Neji refused to stay anywhere longer than six months and never moved them within the same country. Hinata followed wherever he led, trusting him to know the best places to avoid danger.

They now lived on a tiny northern island in the Land of Water. Neji worked as a fisherman, and Hinata continued her lunch business. With two incomes, it was easier to survive and keep a low profile; Hinata saved most of her earnings for emergency money that they would use whenever they moved. Not that it stopped busybodies from poking their noses in and inquiring when she was going to stop working and settle down at last...

Hinata shook her head; Mrs. Sasaki was harmless. The poor woman was lonely, with no family of her own, and Hinata was one of the few people who actually kept her company. The frequent moves made it difficult for Hinata to find friendship; she could tolerate a few embarrassing questions to have someone to talk to during the day.

Hinata was beginning to prepare her usual orders of lunch when Neji came home.

"Neji-nii-san! I didn't expect you home this early."

"We were all sent home to prepare for the freeze that's coming," he explained. "Apparently weather conditions can get bad up here." He looked over at the rice cooker. "How much are you making?"

"Enough for ten. I guess it's too much now."

Neji shook his head. "Make more. Make the lunches, and then make rice balls."

Hinata was shocked; that was several days' worth of food. "Do we really need that much?"

"I've heard some stories," he replied. "I'm heading to the market to pick up a few things. How many quilts do we have?"

"There's four hanging to dry, but there might be another one in the closet."

"I'll check."

Hinata bit her knuckle. She'd brushed off Mrs. Sasaki's statements earlier, but if Neji was this concerned, perhaps she had good reason to worry.

"I'll go shopping with you," she said. "I can finish the rice later."

Neji shrugged in acknowledgement.

It was still sunny outside, but now the air had a sharpness to it that stung when she breathed. Hinata was glad she'd grabbed her coat before they'd left for town.

The stores were crowded and with limited merchandise. Prices for rice and miso were sky-high, and the general store was sold out of portable stoves. Even wooden furniture was selling fast, with people breaking it apart at the store to carry home as fuel.

Hinata had never seen anything like this. It snowed in Konoha, but not often and not hard enough to cause widespread panic.

Because of the crush of people, they weren't able to get as much as Neji wanted, but they managed to buy another quilt, three pounds of fresh fish, two packages of dried seaweed, and extra matches.

When they got back, Neji checked the walls for cracks while Hinata cooked. She thought the amount she was making was excessive, but he insisted she use everything.

"Better safe than sorry," he said, echoing Mrs. Sasaki's words. Hinata shuddered to hear them again; how bad would this storm really get?

After dinner, Neji went to use the public bath while Hinata took down and folded laundry. He was gone a long time, just long enough for her to start worrying; when he got home, there were ice crystals in his hair.

"I waited as long as I could for it to dry," he said as he warmed himself by their little wooden stove. Hinata was shocked; it wasn't a long walk from the public bath to their home.

They laid their beds out as close to the stove that safety permitted.

"If you wake up at night, check the stove," Neji instructed. "We need to keep it burning."

"I will." Hinata lay down and pulled the quilts up to her chin. Most of the drafts were plugged, but there wasn't much to be done about the cold floors. She focused on the warmth from the stove and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

The night passed without incident, but the morning brought more severe weather. The sun was gone, ominous gray fog obscuring its warmth.

Neji left for work but came back soon after; no boats were sailing today.

Hinata shivered in her thickest robe as she prepared tea. She took her time, stretching the moments before she had to speak to him. In all the time they'd been living together, they'd never spent more than a few waking hours together. Faced with an entire day spent indoors, she was at a loss.

"Want to go for a walk?" Neji asked. "It's not unbearable outside, and we might as well get some fresh air while we can."

Hinata agreed, and they set out together.

They wandered down to the shoreline, where the wind off the sea reddened their cheeks.

Hinata stared out over the water, watching the waves crash endlessly on the sand. The view looked as though it had been drained of color. Everything was gray: the sky, the land, the sea. It just added to the cold and dismal feeling of the day.

Neji stood beside her, gazing at the view as well. "It's almost pretty," he said out of nowhere. "The way the fog makes everything all hazy."

Hinata was dumbfounded. Every time she thought she knew Neji, he surprised her with another hidden side. She wondered how many more years it would take to uncover them all.

"That's not pretty though." He pointed to black clouds forming on the horizon. "We'd best head back."

The wind picked up on their way back. Hinata felt it pushing her forward, almost blowing her over. Neji was having just as hard a time; he extended his arm to her, which she took gratefully. Together, they stumbled through the beginnings of the storm back into their house.

Once they were inside, it started to snow. Hinata watched through the window, marveling at the swirling flurries. She'd never seen snow like this; it was beautiful beyond words and completely terrifying. The window was drafty, and she could only stay watching for a bit longer before she had to close the curtains and run back by the stove. It was a little thing, but it was just large enough to keep two people warm if they sat close by.

Neji set down cups of tea for them both and sat down beside her.

"It's too bad there isn't a library here," he said. "This is good reading weather."

Hinata didn't mind that much. No library meant no pressure to continue researching medical ninjutsu. They'd moved on from studying jutsu to looking up specific medical ninja who might have a grudge against the Hyuuga. It was a change, but it was a dry topic, and she found the research grueling.

"I do have this though," Neji said, pulling out a deck of cards. "Do you know any games?"

"I wish I did. I never had time for cards."

"Neither did I." He put the deck down on the table and thought. "I'm trying to remember the one Naruto taught me." He stopped and looked at her. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have mentioned..."

"Shouldn't have mentioned what?" It took Hinata a moment to realize what he was talking about. _Naruto..._ she hadn't thought about him in months. She waited for the usual heartache that accompanied thoughts of him and was surprised she felt nothing. Had enough time finally passed? "It's all right. What game did Naruto-kun teach you?"

Neji started, as if surprised by her nonchalance, but recovered quickly. "Well, let's see if I remember how to play Speed."

It took a few trials before he remembered all the rules, but once she learned them, Hinata caught on quickly. She won her fifth straight game, causing Neji to lay his head on the table in defeat.

"It's impossible to cheat at this game," he moaned. "How are you winning every time?"

"Beginner's luck?" Hinata said with a laugh.

Neji rubbed his eyes. "Rematch?"

"Are you sure you want to lose again?"

He glared at her, and Hinata hid her smile behind her hand. Seeing his competitive side was almost funny. Where had it been hiding all these years?

"Fine," he said. "No more cards. Do you have a better suggestion of how to pass the time?"

"Not particularly."

He didn't have anything to say to that, and silence descended upon them. Hinata didn't mind; it was almost comfortable, to sit next to each other and just _be_.

A gust of wind shrieked outside, rattling the window. Hinata shivered; it had to be almost noon by then, but it was still dark and grim.

"This storm reminds me of our time in the Land of Wind," she said, remembering their hut in the middle of the desert. "Although the wind storms there were a good deal warmer... I almost miss it."

Neji shuddered. "I could never miss living there." They only lived in in the desert four months; after scorching hot days and more sunburns than was healthy, Neji had insisted on moving.

"I was still finding sand in my clothes for weeks after we left. It's better here," he said, pointing to their stove. "There was no way to stay cool in the desert, but here, we have our own heat. It could be worse."

Hinata scooted a little closer to the stove. "That's true. It could be."

* * *

They spent the rest of the day huddled up inside, talking, playing cards, and reminiscing.

"Remember the man in the canyon village who couldn't speak to me?" Hinata asked, remembering a quarryman who would buy lunch from her every day without fail. "He never once thanked me or even spoke an order aloud; he'd just point to what he wanted."

"The one who was in love with you? I remember."

"W-what?!" Hinata turned red. This was news to her. "How could that be, if he wouldn't even talk to me?"

"He was too shy," Neji said, a note of humor in his voice. "But whenever you weren't looking, he was staring at you. And whenever you looked at him, it was like his brain stopped working."

Hinata mulled over this. "I wonder why he never said anything..."

"Because you're married."

"Oh, right." Hinata hadn't actually forgotten, but of course no one would make a move on her; who in his right mind would want to cross Neji?

As if punctuating the conversation, the lights flickered and went out, leaving them plunged in darkness with the only light coming from the stove.

"Oh, no." Hinata wasn't afraid of the dark, but the idea of having to weather out the storm without light was disheartening.

"Hold on; we have candles." Neji rummaged through a drawer and produced matches and a few tapers. Soon, their table was glowing from candlelight, lending a picturesque quality to the evening.

"So this is why people think candlelight is romantic," Hinata sighed, looking around them. Neji flinched, and she realized what she'd said, which reminded her of Mrs. Sasaki's quip about keeping warm. Remembering that made her so flustered, she couldn't look at Neji again until after they'd finished dinner.

They laid out their beds the same way they had the night before, and Neji built up the fire one last time before diving under his blankets.

"I wonder if we should take shifts checking on the fire," he mused. "If it goes out..." He didn't need to finish his sentence.

"I can stay up first," Hinata offered, but Neji shook his head.

"I don't think it's actually necessary. Just check it if you wake up at night."

* * *

Hinata didn't expect to fall asleep as quickly as she did, but the warmth of her bed and the lack of anything else to do vanquished her resolve to stay awake.

Only a few hours afterward, though, she woke up shivering. She already had on her warmest clothing and was wrapped in three quilts; she tried to think if she had any more sweaters she could put on. The stove was still burning steadily, but Hinata crept out from under the blankets and added more wood to the fire anyway. She leaned closer to the stove, not caring that her face was almost blistering from the heat. If she moved any further away, she was afraid of turning into an icicle.

Eventually, she crawled back to bed, only to wake up again an hour later to see Neji standing over her.

"You're shivering again," he said, tucking more quilts on top of her.

"Thank you," she sighed before her gratitude turned into alarm. "Wait, nii-san, how many blankets do you have?"

"Don't worry about it. I have enough."

"It's not safe! You'll freeze."

Neji's face was set, and he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Hinata-sama, given the circumstances, I think we have reached the point where it is no longer prudent to have separate blankets."

Hinata didn't understand him until he put another quilt on top of her, the last one left in the house. Her eyes went wide as she realized exactly what he meant.

She scooted over to her right, making space for him next to her, then rolled to her side and squeezed her eyes shut as he lay down next to her.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice muffled. She wondered if he had buried his face in his pillow. "I know this is less than ideal."

"It can't be helped. It's the only way to keep warm." It was working; they both had finally stopped shivering. "Good night."

"Good night, Hinata-sama."

The Hyuuga were not a physically affectionate family. Hinata could not remember ever sharing a bed with someone; even as young as three, she was sleeping entirely on her own. Having another person breathing next to her was beyond distracting. She curled into herself, making a conscious effort not to touch Neji.

The wind was howling outside, keeping her awake. Every nerve was on edge, struggling to avoid contact with him. As awkward as it was, Hinata felt torn. Half of her was certain she would die of embarrassment if she touched him; the other half was dying to touch him. The space between them was so warm, so inviting, and it was so cold and miserable outside the pocket of their blankets. Steeling her resolve, Hinata shut her eyes and tried her hardest to fall asleep, but she couldn't. She was warmer, but she still wasn't warm enough.

She rolled over and stared at Neji's back, watching him breathe. He was asleep by now; would it really bother him if she just pressed against his back?

The wind picked up, rattling the window; without thinking, Hinata pressed herself to his back and wrapped her arms around him.

Neji was not asleep.

"Hinata-sama?!"

"I'm sorry... it's just so cold."

"Hold on." He disentangled himself from her arms before turning to face and hold her. Flooded with warmth, Hinata was shocked to feel Neji was shivering too.

They clung to each other the entire night, only letting go when someone ventured out to put more wood in the stove. At one point, the sound of the wind stopped, and Neji observed they were probably snowed in.

Without power or sunlight, they lost all sense of time. All that mattered was survival: food and warmth. Hinata had no idea how long they spent huddled together under the blankets. Sometimes they would talk, playing word games or making plans for their next move, or one of them would sleep, but most of the time, they just lay there in silence. It was odd being that close to another person; Hinata could feel Neji's breathing, hear his heartbeat. It was strangely comforting, perhaps awakening some repressed memory of lying next to her mother when she was still a baby.

* * *

They knew the storm was over when the power suddenly came back on. Later, they heard the sound of scraping and digging outside. Soon, someone rapped on the door.

"Everyone all right in there?" a gruff voice asked.

Neji answered the door to find men with shovels and wheelbarrows.

"Just the two of you?" the leader asked. "You're both alive and well? Good; the fewer bodies we have to cart away today, the better."

Hinata came to the door, blinking at the sight of daylight. The sky was still overcast and gray, but the sun had broken through the clouds. Snow was banked all around them; she couldn't see over to Mrs. Sasaki's just a few meters away.

"I'm going to help them," Neji decided. "You'll be all right by yourself?"

Hinata nodded; she was more than happy to have a few moments to herself.

Neji didn't come back until late at night. He didn't talk about his day, and Hinata didn't ask him. It wasn't until they were preparing to go to sleep that he asked if they could share the blankets again for one more night.

It made no sense to refuse; it was no longer snowing, but it was still below freezing. Hinata was grateful for the extra warmth.

Only after they were properly bundled and close together did Neji tell her what he had learned.

"We were snowed in for three days," he said. "I helped dig out about forty households. Most people were adequately prepared, but there were a few who weren't." He paused. "Mrs. Sasaki died."

Hinata gasped. "How?"

"She must have frozen to death. She lived alone, after all."

"How horrible..." She imagined sitting alone in the house, slowly growing colder and colder, knowing no one was coming to help. She pulled herself closer to Neji; as uncomfortable as she'd been at first, sharing a bed had saved their lives.

"I think we should stay like this until it gets warmer," she proposed. "Who knows if there will be another storm?"

"That's wise. We'll certainly save money on firewood."

"Yes. And it's not forever," she was quick to add. "We can separate again in spring."

"Naturally."

But when the snow finally melted and the season began to change, neither made the move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dropped the time references in the text, but in case it isn't clear, it's been a time skip of about a year and three months. Lazy writing? Maybe, but there are more possibilities with older characters. I have been wanting to write this chapter since I first thought up this story, but I wasn't comfortable writing this scene with a 15-year-old Hinata and 17-year-old Neji (their ages when they left Konoha--they are 18 and 19 now, respectively).


	8. Chapter 8

The sun sparkled on the water, making tiny rainbows in the spray off the gentle waves. A light breeze blew, taking the edge off the midday heat and filling the sails of the boat.

Neji leaned back against the tiller and watched seagulls fly overhead. When he'd first arrived in the Land of Water, he couldn't sail any better than a child of ten. Now, after traveling from the northernmost part of the sea all the way down to the southern islands, he could operate a boat as well as any native islander.

They were on the move again. Once it was warm enough for sailing, Neji sold their house and used the money to buy the boat. Their eventual goal was to return to the mainland, but they took their time navigating south through the islands, never staying more than two nights in one port and experiencing the different sights each place had to offer.

Their current destination was the mother island in the Land of the Sea. Neither of them had been there before, but Hinata recalled a mission Shino had taken there once.

"I don't remember all the details," she'd said, one fingertip touching the map. "But there was a laboratory on one of the islands."

"There could be useful information there. We should explore the surrounding area," Neji suggested.

"If that's what you think is best" was Hinata's murmured answer, and he'd wisely decided to let the subject drop until they arrived.

It had been two and a half years since they'd left Konoha. Two and a half years of forced togetherness, of having only each other to rely on. But it was only in the past six months or so that Neji felt they'd really grown close. There was an easiness between them now, and instead of dreading dinner time conversation, he found himself looking forward to their time together. And yet there were still moments where he wondered if he would ever understand what was going on inside her mind.

They arrived on the island and checked into an inn. The innkeeper chattered about the local specialties as she served them heaping bowls of fresh seafood.

"You'll have to visit Taro Island for the crab, and Jiro Island is known for beautiful pearls. They make great anniversary presents!"

"What about the island to the east?" Neji asked.

The innkeeper shook her head. "You don't want to go there."

"Why not?" Hinata asked.

"That's Demon Island. It's cursed. Even if you survive the trip over, the island's full of monsters." She put her hands on her hips. "Definitely not a nice destination for a cute couple like you."

"Of course not," Neji lied.

* * *

Two days later, they set a course for Demon Island.

The journey was pleasant enough at first, but as they drew closer, the clouds moved to obscure the sun, casting a gloomy pallor over them. Rocks jutted out from the sea, making the now-choppy water even more treacherous to navigate. Using Byakugan, Neji could see the spooky images of sunken ships beneath them. He shivered; he didn't believe in ghosts, but the creepy atmosphere was getting to him.

"I remembered something," Hinata said. "Shino-kun's mission was investigating a sea monster that turned out to be one of Orochimaru's experiments."

"Orochimaru?" Demon Island certainly was a nefarious enough name to attract a ninja as dark and twisted as he was. "He must have had a base here."

"Yes..." Hinata hugged herself. "Neji-nii-san, I don't know if we should continue."

Neji thought about it. Orochimaru was one of the most dangerous ninja that ever lived; even now, no one was sure if he was alive or dead. But he'd had a lifelong desire to master every jutsu in the world, and that included medical jutsu.

"I think we should. We might find something linking medical ninjutsu with Gentle Fist."

Hinata frowned. "All right. I just have a bad feeling..."

Neji would never admit it, but he did too. "Nothing will get past us," he said.

It took them a while to find a safe place to bring the boat to shore; by the time they stepped on land, the weather had shifted, leaving them in damp gray chill.

"I think we go this way," Hinata said, pointing towards the mist. Neji finished securing the boat and followed her.

A huge torii gate loomed before them. As they passed through its red beams, he felt a chill go down his spine.

The path was overgrown with half-dead vegetation. They picked their way through, doing their best to avoid rustling the leaves. Normally, Neji would not recommend such caution-after all, the island had been abandoned long ago-but something inside him screamed danger. The increasing sense of foreboding made him want to turn back.

They pressed on a while longer when the path abruptly ended.

"This doesn't make any sense," Hinata said. "I can't find an entrance."

"Perhaps it's disguised?"

She shook her head. "We'd still be able to see it with our eyes. There's just... no way in or out."

Neji refocused his vision so that he could examine the area beyond the path. He could see clear outlines of hallways before and below them, but something about them was off.

"It's almost as if..." He stopped. He sensed movement on the outside edge of his vision. He refocused his attention there, but there was nothing.

 _Just the wind?_ he thought, but the sea breeze had calmed as soon as they stepped ashore.

"It's collapsed," Hinata said, still examining the lab. "Everything's caved in."

That cut Neji to the quick. They wouldn't be able to search the base after all.

* * *

They were solemn on the walk back to the boat.

Neji chewed his lip, wondering if there was anything else they could do before leaving. It killed him to leave a potential source of information behind without thorough examination, but this hideout was beyond repair.

"Hinata-sama, I think we should..." He stopped, spotting movement behind him again.

A cold line of sweat trickled down the back of his neck. Twice was no coincidence.

"Defense pattern," he said. Hinata nodded once and stepped into position.

Two minutes of eerie silence passed. Neji scanned all around him, hyper-vigilant for any signs of danger. He was about to relax and bid Hinata do the same when she tensed and pointed to the sea.

"There!"

He barely had time to react when a monster burst forth in a blast of sea foam.

"To the right!" Hinata shouted, stepping to the side and assuming an attack position.

Neji mirrored her and focused his chakra, aiming for the center of the creature's chakra paths.

"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!"

The attack connected, and the monster screamed in pain as it fell to the ground.

Neji jumped back to better observe their opponent. The creature was bipedal with scales, fins, and gills; it had to be the demon that gave the island its name.

The attack only stunned the creature; it got back to its feet quickly and raged toward them.

Neji stepped into a neutral position, ready to defend or attack as necessary. He wobbled a bit as he bent his knees; he was out of practice. He once could take on an enemy of this level alone, but now, he needed Hinata's backup.

Behind him, she concentrated, preparing to attack.

"Twin Lion Fists!" Chakra enveloped her hands in the distinctive shape. The monster didn't notice, too focused on attacking Neji. He led it on, occupying its attention to give Hinata an opening.

He drew the monster closer, forcing it to leave its back unguarded. He trusted Hinata would see the opening and take advantage.

But if he was rusty from lack of training, Hinata was even more so. She'd always been less skilled than he. Too late, he realized he was leaving too much to her.

Hinata saw the opening and moved to attack, but as she stepped forward, she tripped. It was a lapse from which a well-trained shinobi could easily recover, but Hinata never had such skill. She released her jutsu and thrust her hands in front of her to break her fall.

Neji froze in horror, wanting to help, but also not wanting to draw attention to her. Instead, he launched another long range attack toward the monster, hoping to pull its attention away. The monster dodged; in doing so, it noticed Hinata behind it.

Time seemed to slow.

Hinata got to her feet seconds before the monster lunged. She dodged its first attack, but with the next, she stumbled again.

Neji froze in horror as the monster swiped at Hinata and landed a direct hit.

 _No._ This couldn't be real.

His chest hurt, like his heart had stopped beating and all the air had been sucked from his lungs. He had to act, but all he could do was cry out her name.

"HINATA!"

Her body disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the confused monster clawed out a huge chunk of driftwood instead of Hinata's stomach.

"Substitution Technique?" Neji choked back his surprise and refocused his attention, sending Vacuum Palm attacks towards the monster.

Its attention thus occupied, the monster didn't notice Hinata flying towards him, her fists enveloped in chakra.

"Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists!"

She punched into the monster's head, causing it to stagger a few steps, right into range of Neji's attack.

"Two! Four! Eight! Sixteen! Thirty-two! Sixty-four!"

The monster lay on the sand, unable to move now that its chakra points had been sealed.

"Neji-nii-san?"

Neji looked up at Hinata. She was completely unharmed. The relief that flooded him wasn't quite enough to fully combat the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

"You did well," he said. When she smiled and stepped closer to him, he felt dizzy.

Turning his attention back to the creature, he realized it was changing. The scales were fading into skin, the fins into fingers, and the monstrous appearance now looked almost... human.

"What the hell?"

Hinata gasped audibly. "How is this possible?"

Neji shook his head. Orochimaru was not above using humans as test subjects; this had to be the result of one of his horrid experiments.

The unfortunate creature looked up at them, eyes wide in terror.

"Kill... me..." it gurgled.

"There has to be another way," Hinata said. "A way we could help." But the man, if indeed he could still be called that, appeared not to hear.

"Kill me... kill me..." He rasped the mantra on a loop, incapable of any other thought.

Neji's heart sank; what would it be like to lose control of one's self entirely, to be reduced to a mindless killing machine, to completely lose all humanity?

He'd come too close to that before.

"Nii-san?"

He barely heard her. He'd already stepped forward, chakra thrumming in his arm as he prepared a deadly attack.

"Wait, don't!" she cried.

The man didn't even have time to gasp. The fatal blow to his heart had stopped it instantly.

Neji bent over him, examining his face. Unrecognizable. A terrible sorrow enveloped him. This man didn't choose to be a monster.

"Nii-san..." Behind him, Hinata was shaking. "You didn't have to... there could have been another way."

"He's free now," he said abruptly, standing upright. "We'll have to make camp here tonight. Go back to the boat and build a fire."

Hinata blinked twice, then faced the ground and spun on her heel. He watched her go without a word. How she could convince herself she was a cold-blooded murderer, he'd never understand.

He didn't dwell on it long; he had his own fire to build.

* * *

When he returned to the shore, Hinata had built not only a fire, but a wall of sand to help shelter them from the wind.

"We don't have a tent, but this will help a little."

"Thank you." He sank down behind it and warmed himself. The fire was a welcome relief after his long walk back in the cold mist.

Hinata gingerly sat beside him. "You cremated him?" she asked.

"Let's not talk about that."

A few moments of silence went by before she spoke again. "I know you had to do it; just... the way you did it... I was surprised."

"It never gets any easier…" Half a second went by before Neji realized he'd spoken the words aloud.

Hinata was kind enough to pretend she didn't hear.

The fire crackled, keeping the silence from overwhelming them.

"The fight today," he began. "We're really out of shape. Not that we didn't pull it off," he added. "But the lack of daily training is starting to show."

Hinata smiled. "I think daily training would go against the idea of lying low and avoiding extra attention."

"We'll think of something." Neji lay back in the sand; it wasn't comfortable by any means, but it would suffice. "Good night, Hinata-sama."

"Sama?" Hinata whispered. "But earlier, I thought you... "

He sat back up. "You thought I what?"

"N-nothing!" She waved her hands in front of her. "Never mind!"

Lying back down, Neji shook his head. Who knew what she was talking about? As if he would ever address her inappropriately. He closed his eyes, not remembering the moment when he'd shouted her name in sheer terror. He was already asleep by the time Hinata pressed herself to his back and wrapped her arms around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely thing about canon divergence is getting to cherry pick the best parts of canon and leave out the parts I don't like. The fight scene here is meant to parallel chapter 558 in the manga, where Neji screams Hinata's name (without the honorific!) when he thinks she got killed.

**Author's Note:**

> First eight chapters originally posted on Fanfiction.net between December 2016 and July 2019.


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